With the 2023 season still months away, a handful of Terps found themselves inside Athlon’s preseason All-Big Ten team selections.
With Michigan QB JJ McCarthy getting the first-team nod, quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa was the lone Terp selected on the second team. After contemplating a stay-or-go decision this offseason, Tagovailoa is back in College Park for year four where he’ll get a chance to pad his already storied career. Tagovailoa already holds both career and single-season records for passing yards, completions, completion percentage, touchdowns and 300-yard passing games while holding the program record for total offense (8,067).
A trio of familiar names lead the way on offense with running back Roman Hemby, receiver Jeshaun Jones and DJ Glaze selected. It was Jones who led the team in receiving yards last season despite battling against three current NFL receivers and after making his stay-or-go decision earlier this offseason, the Florida native is back for year six in College Park. Glaze, meanwhile, remains the only returning starter along the offensive line and lined up at left tackle during the spring game as head coach Mike Locksley has turned to the transfer portal to restock the room.
Hemby leads the running back room after starting in all 13 games and finishing third among FBS freshmen in yards from scrimmage while also posting the second-most rushing touchdowns by a Maryland freshman before being named honorable mention All-Big Ten. The running back room returns its entire unit from the 2022 season while Michigan running back Nolan Ray will join the freshmen and enroll next month, but Hemby will get a chance to showcase himself as a potential feature back this fall. Hemby will also host a youth football camp, ages 9-14, on June 24 at 1 PM.
Parents can sign their kids up for Hemby’s camp here
Tight end Corey Dyches and safety Beau Brade were both named to the fourth team, along with Octavian Smith as a kick returner. Smith, a former quarterback and four-star prospect out of Paint Branch (MD) was able to showcase himself as a returner during his freshman season and led the conference in yards per return by midseason, but he also closed the season out with the Terps’ final touchdown in the season which proved to be the difference in Maryland’s bowl win vs. NC State. Brade, meanwhile, led the safety room this spring though sported a no-contact jersey in the spring game after rehabbing a minor shoulder injury.
The only new name selected? Tyrese Chambers, the Baltimore product who transferred into the program in January from FIU. After finishing with 1,074 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 45 catches in 2021, Chambers was a near portal addition heading into the 2022 season before returning to FIU to complete his degree. Now, the new Maryland wideout joins former West Virginia wideout Kaden Prather as new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis looks to keep the passing attack alive.
“This is a dream come true, man. This has been my dream school since I was a child. It took me a couple [of] years to get here, but I’m finally here, man. I’m finally here. I’m blessed and thankful,” Chambers said earlier this spring.
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